Bill Would Reverse Green Initiatives for New Federal Buildings

A bipartisan group of lawmakers has introduced a bill to repeal a law requiring federal buildings to use less fossil fuel generated energy, saying the provision is detrimental to the coal industry.

The legislation -- sponsored by Reps. Ed Whitfield, R-Ky.; Nick Rahall, D-W.Va.; Dave McKinley, R-W.Va.; and William Enyart, D-Ill. -- would undo a part of the 2007 Energy Conservation and Production Act that applies to new or modified federal buildings costing at least $2.5 million.

“The buildings shall be designed so that the fossil fuel-generated energy consumption of the buildings is reduced, as compared with such energy consumption by a similar building in fiscal year 2003,” the 2007 law reads. The provision called for a 55 percent reduction in fossil fuel usage by 2010 and its complete elimination in new and modified buildings by 2030.

“President Obama continues to insist that he is supportive of an all-of-the-above energy policy, so I sincerely hope that he agrees with me that resources like coal should not be excluded from the energy sources being considered for the powering of federally owned buildings,” Whitfield said in a statement.

The co-sponsors added: “It is important for the federal government to be energy efficient, but we should not limit our fuel choice options in doing so.”